Condiment holder



July 3, 1934.

M. R. MAssA CONDIMENTDIHOLDER Filed Jan. 14, 193i MHNUEL R MAS 5H Patented July 3, 1934 CONDIMENT HOLDER Manuel R. Massa, South Williamsport, Pa., as-

signor to George J. Lutz, Williamsport, Pa.

Application January 14, 1933, Serial No. 651,784

Claims. (01. 65-45) This invention is intended to provide a novel bined salt-and-pepper shaker for use on the dining table.

Its primary object is to provide a holder in which a plurality of separate compartments are selectively adapted to discharge through a single neck or spout member and all or other than one of the same are kept always closed for sanitary and moisture-protective purposes. Another object is to provide an article of table equipment that will be attractive in appearance apart from the utility feature, so as to enhance rather than detract from the table setting. Simplicity and inexpensive in manufacture are desiderata contemplated in conjunction with other objects of the invention.

The same will be further described with reference to the attached drawing illustrating two embodiments thereof in a two compartment or salt-and-pepper holder.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of one form of the article, shown partly in section and partly in plan view;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, similarly shown;

Fig. 3 illustrates a detailed part in edge view partly in section;

Fig. 4 illustrates the same part in side view;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another detailed part;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the last-mentioned part;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another or modified form of the invention, also shown partly in section and partly in plan view; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the latter similarly shown.

Referring to the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a receptacle body is represented by the container 7 of globular shape as viewed from the side, having a base 8 upon which it will stand upright, without liability of tipping over. This container may of course be made of glass, china,- ware or other material according to preference.

It is divided into a plurality of compartments or cells C, in this instance two, by an axial partitioning represented by the wall 9, which may be an integral part of the same or comprise simply a slide element fitted into place.

Openings 10 at the top provide filling and discharge channels for the compartments thus formed, these being correspondingly sized and placed with relation to the axial center or partitioning wall of the container. If desired, similar openings 11 may be provided also at the bottom as a means of filling in preference to the others, in which case cork or other stoppers (not shown) should be applied to the same. These extra openings however are considered unnecessary inasmuch as it is possible quite easily to fill the compartments through the top openings and there is then less likelihood of the contents spilling out from loosening or dropping out of such plugs.

Over the top of the container is fitted a shield ing slide-member 12, having an open neck or spout 13 adapted to register with the aforesaid top openings (10) of the container. This slide is formed with curved-back portions or lips 14 at its ends, providing convenient means of moving it back and forth by the finger, so as to bring said neck into register with one or the other of the compartment openings. A close fit of the slide to the surface of the container is attained by shaping both on the arc of a circle as is clearly shown, so that it will always hear solidly upon said surface while shifting from one position to another and regardless of the extent to which it is moved in either direction. I

Said slide member is held in place by a clamping means such as provided by rings 15 on opposite sides of the container, the same being in this instance cemented or else sprung into fixed grip with the same around its marginal edges. These rings are shown formed with lips l5 (see Fig. 2) a5 spaced slightly above the top surface of the container, under which the edges of the slide member engage so as to be guided and held securely. They obviously serve to keep the slide member bearing snug and firmly upon the container surface under what may be called a spring tension, so as to closely overlie and efiectually seal the openings of the compartments when the open neck part is not in register therewith.

As a modification of this clamping means, the container might be formed with marginal ridges corresponding to the clamp rings, between which the slide member would spring into fit, said memher being then elongated to the extent of the 10 rings so as to extend down beyond the center line or more than half way around the arcuate container top with a resultant clamping thereon which will keep it from pulling or slipping off when moved in opposite directions with the neck part in register with either compartment opening. This would eliminate the actual rings at first described and so render the device even simpler in form than here shown, but the illustrated construction is considered preferable for the rea- 1.10

son that it is more secure and less likely to allow the slide member to be warped oil. or out of place.

Means for limiting the discharge of contents from the respective compartments is represented 1 by the perforate bame 16 at the end of the open neck (13), which may be in the form of a stopper inserted therein as shown, or in the form of a screw cap applied to the same. This baffle will of course prevent the contents of the compartment from spilling out fluently when the container is inverted with the neck of the slide in register with its opening. However, it may if so desired be omitted altogether, and the discharge from the respective compartments controlled simply by the extent to which the slide is moved with said neck in register with their openings. In other words, by limiting the extent to which the neck is brought into register with an opening, the amount of discharge from any compartment can be controlled at will so that no baille need be used.

It will be recognized that a novel and desirable holder or shaker is thus provided, in which there may be any number of compartments with the openings of which the neck of the slide member may be brought into register for discharge. For example, additional compartments may be formed abreast or laterally of the two shown and the slide member adapted to move over such additional ones as'well as those shown. The inven tion then is applicable to various forms in-which it might be desired to produce an article of the character defined and it would be simply a matter of adapting the parts with appropriate changes to do so.

One such modification or different form is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In this, the receptacle body or container is in the form of a barrel 77 mounted on a swivel or pivot 17 between the sides of a stand member 18 forming its own base. In this barrel form, the partitioning wall 9 and the openings 10 and 11 at the top and bottom are provided the same as in the first described form. In place of the slide member (12) of the first form however, the sides of the stand (18) are in this instance united together at the top in provision of an arcuate shield portion 19 overextending the top of the container in close bearing upon its surface. In this portion (19) the open neck (13) is formed. The container accordingly simply swings back and forth upon its pivot to bring its compartment openings (10) into and out of registry relation to the neck part. It will be understood of course that the arcuate portion 19) of the stand overlying its top surface effectually closes and seals said openings the same as the slide member (12) when said neck is not in register with the same. In the intermediate or normal position shown, the neck is out of register with both of the compartment openings so as to close both of them simultaneously in exactly the same way as they are closed by the slide of the first described form in corresponding position.

To limit the extent of swing back and forth in opposite directions, buttress pieces 20 may be provided at the sides of the container to bear against the ends of the overextending portion (19) of the stand and so provide stops to movement both ways.

This modified form also may be extended to the provision of more than two compartments, an additional number of which may be provided either abreast or laterally of those here shown. in which case the pivot 17 would be approp iately modified to permit the barrel movement there under in similar fashion.

It will be seen that in both these forms of holder, a plurality of compartments are adapted to discharge each through a single neck or spout brought selectively into register or near register therewith according to the movement for which the same is adapted. This eliminates the need of a spout or neck for each compartment and keeps all or other than one always closed, it being impossible to have more than one open to discharge at a time. This will be appreciated from the fact that the slide member or shield of the two forms provides an effectual cover for the openings and the latter are spaced further apart than the inner diameter of the open neck part. Thus the contents of the several compartments will be protected against moisture or-atmosphere in a sanitary manner.

This novel holder also eliminates the necessity of sieve-caps or baflles over the individual compartment openings, or the need of more than one such bafiie in the cover of the holder as common to other constructions of related character. The invention therefore contributes an advantageous improvement to the art.

Since various changes may be made in the details, arrangement and combination of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is not intended to be limited by the appended claims to the specific construction hereinabove set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A condiment holder, comprising an elongate drum-shaped receptacle body with an arcuated end face, divided longitudinally into a plurality of compartments around a central axis and having openings to said compartments through said face correspondingly disposed therein with reference to said axis; a member movable over the arcuated face of said body and formed with an open neck registerable with said openings therein selectively, said member providing a closure for the other of the openings when its neck is brought into register with any one of the same and in one position closing all of the openings simultaneously; means providing shoulder portions engageably holding such member movable over the body in close bearing upon the aforesaid face thereof, and means limiting the discharge of contents from any compartment with the opening of which said neck of the member is brought into register.

2. A condiment holder, comprising a receptacle body of arcuate shape at the top partitioned into a plurality of compartments and having openings to each of the compartments at a common relation to its longitudinal axial center; a member having an open neck movable over the top of said body so as to bring the neck into register with any one of said openings while closing the others and settable to one position simultaneously closing all of the openings; arcuate clamp pieces along the margins of the top of the body overengaging and holding said member in close bearing upon the top surface thereof, and means limiting the discharge of contents from a compartment with the opening of which said neck of the movable member is brought into register.

3. A condiment holder or shaker, comprising a receptacle body of arcuate shape at the top divided along a longitudinal axis into a plurality of compartments and havine an opening to each compartment disposed at a common angular relation to said axis; a slide member fitting over the top of said body and having an open neck registerable with each of the compartment openings selectively and closing those of the openings with which such neck is not in register, while also being settable to position closing all of the openings simultaneously; removable clamp means guiding and holding the slide member on the top of the body in close bearing upon the surface thereof; and means limiting the discharge of contents from any compartment with the opening of which said neck of the member is brought into register.

4. A condiment holder or shaker, comprising a receptacle body divided into compartments and having an opening to each compartment disposed at a common relation to its axis; a stand pivotally supporting said body and having an open neck registerable with each of the compartment openings revolved selectively into line therewith and closing those of the openings with which said ceptacle body centrally partitionedinto two separate compartments and having an opening to each compartment correspondingly disposed from the partitioning wall; a stand supporting said body to swing in a limited arc and having a portion overextending the same with an open neck therein registerable with each of said openings and closing the one with which said neck is not in register as the body is swung back and forth, and in intermediate position with respect to said body closing both of the openings; and a perforate baflie limiting the discharge of contents from either of the compartments with the opening of which said neck is brought into register.

MANUEL R. MASSA. 

